Coking retort oven



March 7, 1933.

4. BECKER COKING RETORT OVEN Filed Sept. 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet March 7, 1933. J BE K 1,90Q,752

COKING RETORT OVEN Filed Sept. 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 7, 1933 v UNITED TATES PATENT OFFICE .rosnrn BECKER, or rrr'rsnnaen, PENNSYLVANIA, assronon, BY MESIN'E ASSIGNMENTS,

an nn xorrnns COMPANY or DELAWARE, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE eokme anroar OVEN Application filed September 29, 1926. Serial No. 138,414.

My invention relates to coke ovensand ,it has particular relation to means for, and methods of, charging coke ovens.-

My invention has, for one of its objects, to

' 5 provide a coke. oven having-a plurality of charging openingsthat is so arranged that all smoke and gases evolved during the charging operation may be withdrawn through two ofitake openings.

A second object-of my invention is to provide a method of charging coke ovens having a'plurality ofcharging openings in such manner that the passage of gases tothe one or the other end of the oven willnot be prevented during the charging operation.

Afurther objectof my invention is to provide a coke oven having. charging means therefor so constructed and j arrangedthat the passage of gases through the oven is not blocked at more than one point during charging whereby the number of ofl'take openings may be substantially independent of the number of charging openings. 1 1

A still further object of myinvention is to provide a larry car-having. hoppers of different capacities whereby theoven is filled to the top at not more than one point during the charging operation.

It has been previously proposed to providecoke ovens with a plurality of charging openings and to provide an ofltake opening at each side'of the charging openings in order to effect the removal of any smoke and gases-that may be entrapped when the oven is filledto the top by the discharge of coal from the corresponding hoppers. Such provision has been advisable by reason of thefact that theentr'a'pped gases are under considerable pressure and will, ifallowed to escape, pollute the surrounding atmosphere to. a degree thatis'highly objectionable.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a coke oven having a. single offtake opening'at each end of the oven. The oven is provided with hoppers that correspond in number with the charging openings. Only one of the hoppers is of such capacity that the coal contained therein is sufllcient to fill the oven completely at its charging opening. Accordingly, all of the smoke and gases evolved during charging may be withdrawn through the one or the other offtake opening and the necessity for additional oflitake openings is, therefore, avoided. a

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partially in longitudinal section and partially in elevation, of a coke oven and its associated apparatus em bodying my invention; and I eo Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig.1, of a modification.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a coke oven 1. comprises a coking chamber 2 having a top 3 that is provided with charging openings 4 and 5. The to 3 is provided with 011'- take openings 6 and that are'located adjacent to the respective ends of the coke oven. The ofi'take openings 6 and 7 are respectively connected by ascension pipes 8 and 9 to col lecting mains 10 and 11 that extend along the ends of the ovens in the usual battery. Each of the ascension pipes'is provided, at its upper portion, with a valve 13 and an operating handle 14 therefor whereby the ascension pipe may be opened to the atmosphere in case, for example, it is desired to remove carbon or other deposits therefrom. Each of the ascension pipes is further provided with a steam jet 15 that is suitably controlled-by a valve 16 for a purpose to be later described. Each of the collecting mains is con nected to a pipe 17 through which the smoke and gases withdrawn from the coke oven 1, as well as other coke ovens in the battery, are conducted to the usual by-product house.

The top 3, which is a portion'of the continuous top of the'battery, supports rails 19, upon which a larry car 20 operates. The :larry car 20, which is not shown in all of its details, comprises, in general, a frame 21 that is provided with wheels 22 for cooperating with the rails 19.

The frame 21 supports a relatively small hopper 23 and a relatively large hopper 24 that are arranged to supply the coking chamher 2 through the corresponding openings 4 manipulated by any suitable and usual apparatus (not shown).

It may be assumed that the battery of ovens, of which the oven 1 is a part, is in operation and that the several ovens are in various stages of the coking operation. The collecting mains 10 and 11 are operated under suitably regulated pressure, above atmospheric pressure, of the gases that are evolved during the coking operation. This pressure condition is essential by reason of the necessity for preventing the passage of highly heated air from the usual cross regenerators beneath the floors of coke ovens which might cause serious damage to the silica brick of the oven because of the combustion induced by the presence of such air.

It may be assumed further that the coke has been pushed from the oven 1 and that it is being recharged in accordance with the usual practice. The larry car 20, with the hoppers 23 and 24 filled with the proper amounts of coal, is brought to such position that the sleeves 25 register with the charging openings 4 and 5'.

Before, or simultaneously with, the discharge of coal into the coking chamber 2, the valves 16 of the steam jets 15 are opened to increase locally the pressure differential in the ascension pipes that is exerted against the mains 10 and 11. The steam jet, which is directed outwardly from the oven, exerts an injector action whereby the smoke and gases evolved during the charging operation are drawn outwardly at a relatively high rate.

The lids or covers 27, only one of which is shown, are removed from the charging openings and the sleeves 25 are lowered into engagement with the oven top in order to prevent coal spillage around the charging hole. The hopper 23 is then discharged through the charging opening 4. and the coal therefrom fills the oven substantially to the extent indicated in the left-hand portion of the oven. It will be noted, however, that the peak of the pile of coal in the oven does not reach the top thereof and that, accordingly, the free passage of gases through the oven is not blocked. The sleeve 25 of the hopper 23 may then be lifted and the lid 27 placed in position, as is illustrated in the drawings, without escape of smoke.

The contents of hopper 24 are either next, or simultaneously with, the contents of hopper 23, discharged into the oven, the method of charging always resulting in leaving an open gas space below the charging opening 4, under the hopper 23, whereby approximately three-fourths of the gases evolved pass under the charging opening 1 to the main 10, while only about one-fourth pass into main 11. It is general practice, in charging coke ovens with a plurality of charging openings, to discharge the outside hoppers first and then the intermediate hoppers, in order to have the least amount of smoke discharge into the atmosphere and in the case illustrated herein showing only two charging openings, the proportions of coal in the hoppers are so arranged that, regardless of the order in which they are discharged, there will always be free gas space through which the gases may pass into the collecting mains.

In order to completely distribute the contents of the hopper 24 into the oven, the usual leveling apparatus, comprising a leveling bar 28, only a portion of which is shown, operates through the leveling door 29 to level the coal in-the oven in the usual and generally adopted manner. The charging lids are, of course, replaced as soon as all coal has discharged into the oven.

The leveling operation will continue until the upper surface of the coal is substantially level. As soon as the coal beneath the charging opening 5 is leveled, the gases may be removed through either of the openings 6 and 7. The steam jets 15, which are adjusted in accordance with the quantity of gases evolved in the oven, are left in operation only during the short period while the oven is being charged. Their use is not necessary during the normal operation of the oven after charging, since the pressure exerted by the gases within the oven is suificient to effect their removal against the pressure above atmospheric pressure in the collecting mains.

It will be understood that the operation described above will be repeated in connection with the other ovens of the battery as they are charged successively in accordance with the charging schedule.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 2, in which the construction and operation differ only slightly from those of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Similar numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts in both views. The oven 30 is provided with three charging openings 31, 32 and 33, with which co-operate hoppers 34, 35 and 36. It will be noted that the hopper 35 is relatively large, while the hoppers 34 and 36 are relatively small.

The end hoppers are discharged and the corresponding lids 27 placed over the open ings prior to the discharge of the hopper 35.

Thereafter, the levelling operation proceeds as in the oven of Fig. 1, the conditions in the two arrangements being substantially identical in these respects.

It will be appreciated that I have provided a coke oven having a plurality of charging openings and charging means co-operating therewith so constructed and arranged that the oven is eventually completely charged without any gas escaping in the atmosphere. The oven is never divided into more than two con'ipartments in which gases are evolved, whereby only two oiftake openings are necessary to remove the smoke and gases.

lVhile I have shown, by way of example,

ovens with two and three charging openings respectively, it will be further appreciated that, if the oven be filled to the top at one point only during the charging operation, only two ofltake openings are necessary, regardless of the n'umber of charging openings.

My improved method of charging is of I particular advantage in that it may be adapted to existing installations wherein larry cars are provided with hoppers of equal capacities by regulating the amount of coal supplied to the several hoppers whereby only one of the hoppers contains sufficient coal to complete the oven charge. Accordingly, my invention is not limited to the use of larry cars having hoppers of unequal capacities.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains. It is obvious that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art of constructing and operating coke ovens and it is desired, therefore, that my invention be not limited except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: g

1. The combination with a horizontal coke oven having a plurality of charging openings in the top thereof and spaced from each other longitudinally of the oven; of a plurality of coal charging containers for cooperating with the charging openings respectively to charge said oven, the aggregate coal capacity of all of said containers approximately equalling the total capacity required for charging the oven with coal up to a substantially level surface throughout the length of the oven adjacent the top thereof so as to leave a gas space above the charge from one end to the other of said oven, and one of said containers being of substantially greater coal capacity than the coal capacity of any container of the remainder of said containers; and gas off-take openings communicating with said oven at the top thereof on opposite sides of the charging opening for the container of greater coal capacity.

2. The combination with a horizontal coke oven having two coal charging openings in the top thereof and spaced from each other longitudinally of the oven; of two coal charging containers for cooperating with the two charging openings respectively to charge the oven, the aggregate coal capacity of both of said containers approximately equalling the total capacity required for charging the oven with coal up to a substantially level surface throughout the length of the oven adjacent the top thereof so as to leave a gas space above the charge from one end to the other of said oven, and one of said containers being of substantially greater coal capacity than the coal capacity of the other; and gas off-take openings communicating with said oven at the top thereof on opposite sides of the charging JOSEPH BECKER. 

